Improvement in car-couplings



l. A. THOMPSON.

Gar-Euuplings.

Patented Dec. 24; 1872..

JOHN A. THOMPSON, OF BEADINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

iiVlPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,329, dated December 24, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. THOMPSON, of Readington, in the county of Hunterdon and in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in (Jar- Ooupling and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a car'coupling, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to theannexed drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical section, of my car-coupling.

A represents the draw-head or bumper of my car-coupling. Orosswise within this drawhead is placed a cylindrical block, B, which is prevented from falling out of the draw-head by means of a stop, 0, arranged in the roof of the draw-head, at the front end, and extending the entire width of the same. In the bottom of the draw-head, at the inner end, is an incline, D, asshown in Fig. 2. G is the coupling-pin, and J the coupling-link, both constructed in the ordinary manner for a pin and link coupling.

When the cars are uncoupled the cylindrical block rolls toward the front against the stop 0, and the coupling-pin G rests on said block. As the link LI enters the draw-head it pushes the block B inward, allowing the pin G to drop down and couple the cars of its Own weight. By forcing the inner end of the link J up on the incline D the cylindrical block B will hold the link steady in position so as to enter the opposite draw'head in coupling.

I am aware of the existence of a car-coupling having a ball within the draw-head to support the coupling-pin. This is objectionable for many reasons, one of the main of which is that the ball will roll in every direction, and

is liable to jam in such a way as to stop the entrance of the coupling-link. My cylindrical block, on the contrary, can only roll backward and forward-or, in other words, in the direction of the link--and hence is not liable to bind and stop the same.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The withiuclescribed car-coupling, consisting of the draw-head A with projection 0, stop 1) at the rear end of the horizontal bottom, and the cylinder B, the pin G, and link J, all constructed substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of October, 1872.

- JOHN A. THOMPSON.

\ Witnesses EDM. F. BROWN, 0. L. EvnRT. 

